Method and system for providing conference feature between internet call and telephone network call in a webphone system

Abstract

A method for performing a conference call between an Internet call and a telephone network call in a webphone system includes receiving a conference call key input in a point-to-point call state; checking whether there exists a held call in response to the conference call key input; adding a speech channel and forming a forming a speech path between subscribers, when there exists a held call; and performing a conference call when the speech path is formed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for performing a conference call between an Internet call and a telephone network call in a webphone system, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a conference call key input in a point-to-point call state;    checking whether there exists a held call in response to the conference call key input;    adding a speech channel and forming a speech path between subscribers, when there exists a held call; and    performing a conference call when the speech path is formed.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 checking whether to add a new incoming call to the conference call in a conference call state;    adding the incoming call to the conference call, when determining to add the incoming call to the conference call;    when determining not to add the incoming call to the conference call, checking whether the new incoming call is in an active state, and holding or disconnecting the incoming call when the new incoming call is not in the active state;    checking whether the conference call is ended when the new incoming call is not in an active state, and holding the conference call when the conference call is not ended;    releasing the speech channel over which the conference call is performed, when the conference call is ended; and    releasing the conference call state, and then connecting the incoming call to enter a point-to-point call state.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a hold key input in the conference call state; and    holding a current call in response to the hold key input to enter an idle state.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a hold key input in the point-to-point call state;    checking whether there exists a held call in response to the hold key input, and holding a current call when there exists a held call;    holding the current call, when there exists no held call, and holding or disconnecting the current call when there exists a held call, and then connecting the held call; and    checking whether there exists a conference call, when the held call is connected, entering the point-to-point call state when there exists no conference call, and entering the conference call state when there exists a conference call.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of: 
 checking whether the current state is an idle state, receiving a hold key input when the current state is an idle state, and checking whether there exists a held call;    connecting the held call when there exists a held call; and    checking whether there exists a conference call, entering the point-to-point call state when there exists no conference call, and entering the conference call state when there exists a conference call.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a hold key input in the conference call state; and    holding a current call in response to the hold key input to enter an idle state.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a hold key input in the point-to-point call state;    checking whether there exists a held call in response to the hold key input, and holding a current call when there exists a held call;    holding the current call, when there exists no held call, and holding or disconnecting the current call when there exists a held call, and then connecting the held call; and    checking whether there exists a conference call, when the held call is connected, entering the point-to-point call state when there exists no conference call, and entering the conference call state when there exists a conference call.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 checking whether the current state is an idle state, receiving a hold key input when the current state is an idle state, and checking whether there exists a held call;    connecting the held call when there exists a held call; and    checking whether there exists a conference call, entering the point-to-point call state when there exists no conference call, and entering the conference call state when there exists a conference call.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a hold key input in the point-to-point call state;    checking whether there exists a held call in response to the hold key input, and holding a current call when there exists a held call;    holding the current call, when there exists no held call, and holding or disconnecting the current call when there exists a held call, and then connecting the held call; and    checking whether there exists a conference call, when the held call is connected, entering the point-to-point call state when there exists no conference call, and entering the conference call state when there exists a conference call.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a hold key input in the conference call state; and    holding a current call in response to the hold key input to enter an idle state.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the steps of: 
 checking whether the current state is an idle state, receiving a hold key input when the current state is an idle state, and checking whether there exists a held call;    connecting the held call when there exists a held call; and    checking whether there exists a conference call, entering the point-to-point call state when there exists no conference call, and entering the conference call state when there exists a conference call.    
     
     
         12 . A system for providing conference feature between an Internet call and a telephone network call in a webphone system, comprising: 
 the system for supporting both the telephone network call and the Internet call, holding the telephone network call or the Internet call, connecting a speech path using an Internet line in a hold state so that an office line call can be connected in a Internet call state by switching the telephone network and the internet line speech path.    
     
     
         13 . A method for performing a conference call between an Internet call and a telephone network call in a webphone system, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a conference call input;    checking whether there exists a held call in response to the conference call input;    adding a speech channel and forming a speech path between subscribers, when there exists a held call; and    performing a conference call when the speech path is formed.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: 
 checking whether to add a new incoming call to the conference call in a conference call state;    adding the incoming call to the conference call, when determining to add the incoming call to the conference call;    when determining not to add the incoming call to the conference call, checking whether the new incoming call is in an active state, and holding or disconnecting the incoming call when the new incoming call is not in the active state;    checking whether the conference call is ended when the new incoming call is not in an active state, and holding the conference call when the conference call is not ended; and    releasing the speech channel over which the conference call is performed, when the conference call is ended.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a hold key input in the conference call state; and    holding a current call in response to the hold key input to enter an idle state.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a hold key input in the point-to-point call state;    checking whether there exists a held call in response to the hold key input, and holding a current call when there exists a held call; and    holding the current call, when there exists no held call, and holding or disconnecting the current call when there exists a held call, and then connecting the held call.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of: 
 checking whether the current state is an idle state, receiving a hold key input when the current state is an idle state, and checking whether there exists a held call;    connecting the held call when there exists a held call; and    checking whether there exists a conference call, entering the point-to-point call state when there exists no conference call.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a hold key input in the point-to-point call state;    checking whether there exists a held call in response to the hold key input, and holding a current call when there exists a held call;    holding the current call, when there exists no held call, and holding or disconnecting the current call when there exists a held call, and then connecting the held call; and    checking whether there exists a conference call, when the held call is connected, entering the point-to-point call state when there exists no conference call.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of: 
 checking whether the current state is an idle state, receiving a hold key input when the current state is an idle state, and checking whether there exists a held call;    connecting the held call when there exists a held call; and    checking whether there exists a conference call, entering the point-to-point call state when there exists no conference call, and entering the conference call state when there exists a conference call.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a hold key input in the point-to-point call state;    checking whether there exists a held call in response to the hold key input, and holding a current call when there exists a held call;    holding the current call, when there exists no held call, and holding or disconnecting the current call when there exists a held call, and then connecting the held call; and    checking whether there exists a conference call, when the held call is connected, entering the point-to-point call state when there exists no conference call, and entering the conference call state when there exists a conference call.